News
September 23, 2019P-TECH Watervliet Campus Doubles Enrollment; New Students Cite Technology and Innovation as the Draw
Eleven new freshmen joined the ranks this year of students at the Capital Region BOCES Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P – TECH) east campus at Watervliet High School.
The freshmen from Watervliet High School and Menands Central School District brought the innovative four- to six-year program (grades 9-14) enrollment to 22 students at the east campus. Thirty-nine freshmen and sophomores attend the west campus at the Center for Advanced Technology at Mohonasen.
The new P-TECH students said they were drawn to the cutting-edge program by its technological offerings, non-traditional learning styles and the concept that they would be getting a two-year college degree for free.
“It’s pretty fun that you get laptops and you are learning in a small class,” said Michael Brown, who attends the program from Menands.
“I chose P-TECH because I wanted to learn and I can’t just sit and read and take notes,” added classmate Kevin Cecchetto from Watervliet.
P-TECH is offered to students throughout the region through a consortium that includes Capital Region BOCES, the Capital Region Chamber, Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Schenectady County Community College.
The program provides pathways for students to earn free college degrees in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity.
“I want to work on graduating, getting a computer science a degree and doing a career along those lines,” said Brown.
P-TECH is entering its second year of existence.
The P-TECH curriculum focuses on engaging students in hands-on, project-based learning – such as coding – to be successful in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and providing students with workplace skills that will ensure success, no matter the career path they are applied to. Through the program, business partners provide students access to cutting-edge technologies and innovations that allow them to see the real-world application of the knowledge they are gaining at P-TECH.
